Soy and Cola-Braised Jackfruit Sandwiches

I hope everyone is having a great holiday season! I had a great Christmas, but I have just about had my fill of rich holiday food. It’s time for something different.

A few weeks ago, I cut a recipe for Soy and Cola-Braised Pork Shoulder from Cooking Light, having no idea what I would do with it. A few days later, I saw jackfruit on sale at the Asian market and I had my answer. I’ve seen numerous recipes for jackfruit carnitas or barbeque and I’ve wanted to try it for a while. I used the sauce from the Cooking Light recipe and this jackfruit barbeque recipe as a guide.

When I told the guys how I made these, they were calling them “fruit burgers.” Despite how they look, the jackfruit doesn’t taste anything like any meat I’ve had. The closest they come to is the mild vegetal flavor of yellow squash. The texture is soft, yet the pieces don’t completely fall apart. The seeds soften in the slow cooker and meld into the rest of the jackfruit. Since it isn’t very filling, I’d suggest baked beans or chili beans as a side.

The sauce is full of flavor. If you didn’t want to cook jackfruit, the sauce would be worth adapting to a tofu or seitan recipe.

Drain the jackfruit and transfer to a slow-cooker. Whisk together the cola, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Stir in the ginger and garlic. Pour over the jackfruit. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 to 10 hours. (I used a combination of settings.)

Drain the sauce from the jackfruit into a saucepan. Boil the sauce for 15 minutes until reduced to half the original volume. Shred the jackfruit by mashing with a potato masher, or with two forks. Stir about 1/2 cup reduced sauce back into the jackfruit and spoon onto the buns. Top with green onions if desired. Serve with the rest of the sauce on the side.